Cherry Jus

Method

Chicken Ballotine (mousse)

For the mousse, skin and remove any bone and sinew from 1 chicken breast. Place into a food processor with a pinch of salt and the egg white, blitz for long enough to form a smooth paste

Pass the pulp through a drum sieve into a bowl. Set the bowl over ice and gently beat in 250ml of double cream. Check the seasoning by frying off a little in a pan to taste. Add more salt if necessary followed by freshly diced cherries and chopped tarragon.

Stuffed Chicken

Take the chicken and lay between cling lm. Using a meat hammer, batter out until you achieve an equal 1cm spread. Pipe a finger-sized sausage of mousse along the middle season with salt and pepper. Roll into a sausage and wrap in cling lm tying both ends. Poach in simmering water for 10min then remove from cling lm, pat dry and caramelize in a pan with a little oil and foaming butter until the skin is golden.

Cherry Jus

Next, make the sauce. Sweat the shallots in a heavy bottom pan in a small amount of vegetable oil. Add the small peppercorns and chicken bones and lightly colour. Add the white port and reduce by three-quarters. Add the stocks and reduce to a coating consistency. Once reduced, pass through a double muslin. Put to one side until ready to use.